-- THE ARCHIVE --

AUSTRALIA
School CP - May 1912

The Register, Adelaide, 13 May 1912, p.3

Caning in School.

Click to enlarge

From "Senex": -- "The leader in The Register of
May 4 on this matter comes at an opportune time and ought to have
some influence upon the educational authorities. However, it will
not cause them to uphold the teacher who has caned a child and
been reported by the parent.

Now-a-days it is never done. Even if the inspector dared to
exonerate the teacher the Board would override him. Please
understand me in this -- that any teacher who uses any kind of
corporeal punishment runs the risk of being kept back in the
ranks and sent to the most remote schools; for any parent whose
child is punished and who objects will be upheld by Boards of
Advice, inspectors, and the authorities generally. Schools are no
longer disciplined establishments. Teachers are putting up with
deceit, lying, noisiness, lack of mental effort, want of
application, and in some cases insolence -- in fact, all forms of
disorder -- because they are forced to. They know the cane ought
to be used, but they fear to use it. If this commission does not
order a complete change, and a system born of a conference with
the whole of the teachers as well as the Director, Parliament
must make the question the vital one before the electors at the
next election."